There’s something emphatically embarrassing about lugging around a makeup bag packed to its brim with soothing lotions, rice water essences, overnight oils, gentle AHA serums, two under-eye creams (one for the day with vitamin C, one for the night with retinol), exfoliating toners, niacinamide-infused daytime moisturizers—you get the picture—especially as they’re leaking all over the place when you’re jostling them through TSA. What if you could pack three effective, holistic, dermatologist-recommended products, and slip those right into your makeup bag, leaving just enough room for 700 ponytail holders and 15 claw clips for a weekend upstate? This is where skin streaming comes into play—finally a TikTok trend that influences you to buy less, and more effective, stuff. Ahead, we spoke to a board-certified dermatologist and physician’s assistant about the skincare trend and how you can incorporate it into your routine.
What is Skin Streaming?
Skin streaming is simplifying your skincare routine to three or four products that effectively address your skin’s needs. This usually includes a cleanser, antioxidant serum, moisturizer, and sunscreen. This prevents you from bombarding your skin with so many products that they either have no effect (only two or three at a time can really penetrate the skin barrier to start working their magic) or they potentially irritate your skin (some combinations of active ingredients can create negative reactions).
What are the Benefits of Skin Streaming?
Besides being more cost-effective, skin streaming prevents you from irritating or damaging your skin by testing out the plethora of products on the market. “Many ingredients are sensitizing, drying, and likely to exacerbate common skin conditions,” says Rikki Korkowicz, a physician assistant at Schweiger Dermatology in Brooklyn. “Skin streaming gives the skin what it needs without breaking the skin barrier or the bank.”
What Skin Types Should Try Skin Streaming?
“[Skin streaming] is generally a good place to start or a good place to reset if your skin is experiencing sensitivity or irritation,” says Dr. Tiffany Libby, a dermatologist at Brown Dermatology in Rhode Island. Certain skin concerns or conditions, like acne or rosacea, might require one or two more additional steps in their skincare routines.
What’s the Difference Between Skin Streaming and Skin Starving?
Instead of limiting your routine, “skin starving” is eliminating your entire routine, which “more often than not will lead to dryness, irritation and sensitivity,” according to Dr. Libby.
In just one instance would skin starving come recommended by a dermatologist: “The only time I recommend almost complete abstinence from a skincare routine is in the treatment of a skin condition called perioral or periorificial dermatitis, which is an inflammatory skin condition that can sometimes be linked to certain products and is very easily flared by active topicals,” said Korkowicz. Even then, she said, she likes to recommend that clients keep up the simple elements of a routine.
How to Streamline Your Skincare Routine?
As we mentioned above, a streamlined skincare routine usually includes a cleanser, antioxidant serum, moisturizer, and sunscreen in the morning, and the addition of an active ingredient, like a retinoid, at night. In case you’re in need of some recs, here are some of Dr. Libby’s favorites below.
Cicaplast Baume B5 Soothing Therapeutic Multi Purpose Cream
This is my personal holy grail of skincare products, as verified by my own dermatologist (who, I might add, is often horrified by what I tell her is in my routine—actives on top of actives, lotions under serums, and every other kind of skin faux pas). This resolves all redness, dryness, weirdness, always.
Dr. Libby also put together some recommendations for us on high-impact, low-fuss products to add to your newly streamed routine.
Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Face Cleanser for Dry Skin
This gentle cleanser hydrates and soothes skin with ingredients like glycerin and the all-holy niacinamide.
20% Vitamin C Brightening Serum
This super lightweight serum absorbs quickly into skin and delivers the antioxidant and brightening powers of vitamin C. This aids in protecting skin from free radical damage and improves skin’s radiance and complexion.
Hydro Boost Hyaluronic Acid Water Gel Moisturizer
With a soothing gel-like consistency, this gel moisturizer glides onto skin and keeps it hydrated, thanks to its hyaluronic acid-infused formula. Speaking from experience, nothing cures a nasty sunburn like the cold glide of HydroBoost.
Sun Age Defense SPF 50
This sunscreen pairs hyaluronic acid with antioxidants in the formula to deliver hydration to skin and boost protection against UV-induced signs of aging.
Age Defense Retinol Complex 0.5
A must-add to any evening skincare routine, this retinol complex helps increase skin cell turnover, reduce breakouts, and stimulate collagen production to improve overall skin tone, texture and health.